19 Nov 14
Ma’alot Massacre, Israel, 15 May 1974
Itās been over forty years, but I well remember the massacre at Maāalot, where over a hundred people, mostly high-school students, were held hostage for two days by Islamic terrorists. Only three terrorists were involved. The event demonstrates how much death and destruction can be accomplished by a relatively small group of dedicated, and suicidal, terrorists.
After a two-day standoff, Israeli Commandos stormed the school building where hostages were being held, but twenty-five kids were murdered, and seventy were wounded. A handful escaped unharmed. All three terrorists were shot to death by the Israelis.
Immediately prior to the school take-over, the terrorist trio invaded a local home, apparently chosen at random, and precipitously murdered a father, mother, and several children, including an four-year-old.
They also stood in the middle of a local road and fired upon an approaching vehicle, murdering two before the driver could withdraw.
So many, similar attacks have occurred since, we tend to forget, but those who lived through Maāalot havenāt!
The purpose of this historical narrative is to remind all of us that Islamic terrorists havenāt changed methods during recent history. In fact, they havenāt changed in 1500 years!
Namely:
Put together a small group of murderous ideologues, who have no concern for human life. Even a āgroupā of only one can be effective, as we have seen.
Knock on a door. When it is opened, shoot whoever answers, then go inside and shoot everyone else.
Murder at random, having no regard for victims.
Take hostages, preferably children, with the intent of murdering them all in any event. Prolong the agony by making preposterous demands. Hold out as long as possible. Accept your own violent death as part of the outcome.
Countermeasures:
Donāt allow yourself to believe youāre too small, to insignificant, and too isolated to be selected for violent attack by terrorists. Government officials, to no oneās surprise, have spared no expense protecting themselves. They rest of us must provide our own protection. It matters not your ethnicity, religion, economic status, age, nor political flavor. Lowering your personal profile is always good practice, but ultimately we are all considered āfair gameā by terrorists, and āexpendableā by our government.
Thank Heaven for the 2nd Amendment! Take advantage of it. Be always prepared to defend yourself with precision gunfire. It is, by far, the most effective deterrent of all, vastly superior to all other martial arts and personal strategies. The unarmed have no chance!
Donāt become a hostage! Hostages rarely fare well. Do not surrender to terrorists. Shooting it out with them is ultimately much safer, and infinitely more satisfying!
Donāt foolishly believe someone else cares about you more than you care about yourself. Naive believers is the āguardian-angel theoryā live short and unhappy lives. Know and understand that you are on your own!
It is going to get worse, for all of us. Time to get moving!
āHave a bias toward action. Let’s see something happen. You can break that big plan into small steps, and take the first step right now!ā
Indira Gandhi
/John
